Need a radiator - options?

[K5dreamer]

Ok, so a few years ago, i fragged my radiator when a battery came lose while offroading and took out the passenger side core. I replaced it with a brand new unit that at the time i thought i got for a great deal ($150.00?) threw it in, filled up and drove off. Wasnt until sometime last year that i started getting the "low coolant" light, and realizing i was low on coolant, i did the normal, tightening all the fittings and hoses, top it off, and drive on. Always went long enough between lights that i forgot about it.

Now ive noticed my temp guage rarely works..... which to me probably means air in the system. I will likely need to bleed it somehow (any tips on that would be appriciated), but it gave me a reason to very closely inspect my radiator, and sure enogh its leaking. seems to be a cheap unit, lots of corrosion inside the radiator, and also on the outside. And today after i got to work my light came on when i left home and went off on the way to work, popped the top off the radiator, and saw no green. It drank one and a half coolant bottles of water before it was topped off. (thankfully i work at a dealership so i had empty bottles laying around). So i topped it off, gave it time to circulate and ran it til the coolant started to expand and overflow. put the cap back on and let it run for a while longer. shut it off, and sure enough... hissssssssssss. got a pressure leak in the upper driver side of the radiator, and a trickle leak in the lower passenger side...... guess you get what you pay for.

SO. where im at, is i want to put a new radiator in, instead of having this one repaired, but the damn things are expensive as all getout. the least expensive direct fit unit ive found is $350 from advanceautoparts.

Any other, less pricy, but still fully reliable options that yall know of?

Im heading down to the beach to visit some friends this weekend, and by chance her dad owns a radiator repair shop, but he probably couldnt even get to it till monday, who knows how long to fix it, and id have to call into work and take a few days of leave on short notice which tends not to go over well. I had been planning on taking the jetta down.... but now im not so sure.

 

[swettysblazer]

It's an aluminum radiator right?

 

[tRustyK5]

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/GRI-1-55272-X/

Griffin makes a direct replacement for the 6.2 V series trucks, but it's $584

The universal one I linked is 31" x 19" dual row with 1 1/4" tubes. Should be plenty of cooling for a 6.2 and seems to compare very well dimensionally to the direct fit replacement. It just doesn't have the tranny cooler or oil cooler.

Rene

 

[ryoken]

check out summits aluminum line.. iirc, Northern makes em... good rads, good prices.. think the direct replacments are about 250.. universals are less...

 

[K5dreamer]

not sure if the one i got is aluminum... it was painted black, and looking inside it, looks like copper

ill check out summit and the griffin universal fit ones.... id prefer a direct fit so i can attach all the fittings for the trans cooler, fluid level sensor, and all that jazz.

 

[chunk]

call 1-800-RADIATOR, its actually too many letters, it calls all but the "R". my buddies parents opened one up around here and they have a price match guarentee with lifetime warranty i believe. they sell em to advance here and advance usually doubles the price on em, if not more. ive seen em sell radiators to advance for 100 and advance sell em for 230. they also carry a full line of A/C parts as well.

 

[4xcrazy]

call 1-800-RADIATOR, its actually too many letters, it calls all but the "R". my buddies parents opened one up around here and they have a price match guarentee with lifetime warranty i believe. they sell em to advance here and advance usually doubles the price on em, if not more. ive seen em sell radiators to advance for 100 and advance sell em for 230. they also carry a full line of A/C parts as well.

the local place here i buy my radiators from is a dealer with them, lifetime warranty, and the price is real good too. I have not had any issues with the one in my Burb, i did have to replace the one in the '94 pick-up, but that's one of those with the plastic tanks.

and yeah, same deal here too, the local parts store buy them from there too, i know for a fact Autozone does.

 

[GNERGY]

I just had to replace my radiator in my burb. It has plastic tanks with an aluminum core, got a replacement at Autozone for $148.00 with a lifetime warranty. I called 1800 rad and the girl that answered the phone was as dumb as a rock. I also got quotes up to 300 bucks. They say the aluminum is supposed to cool better than copper brass does. Make sure you measure your core size so they don't sell you the wrong one. My core was 28.25 wide by 21 tall by 1.5 thick
Tarey

 

[K5dreamer]

thanks for the heads up guys, ill give em a ring tonight.